Help with my Wordrobe (Clothes)

[RamblinWreck]

Unfortunately some of the other stores like Lacoste, Ralph Lauren, Ruehl,and Abercrombie, either are not in this area or are out of my price range.

I'm not familiar with your area, but I would try and make a run to the nearest outlet and stock up on some Ralph Lauren polo's. I go there to get all of mine, and you will be able to get each shirt for $35. Seeing as you were wearing a polo in your picture, I assume you like the style. I wear em almost everyday, you can wear em casual or semi-formal or on the golf course. Anything less than a RL polo quality to me is ****, so I would avoid Abercrombie or Hollister or any of those brands for a polo though it might be more popular for your age bracket. Try RL, Lacoste, or Vineyard Vines if you are looking for something that will hold up for a while, but if you are on a budget I would strongly recommend a RL outlet.

 

[bbbensen]

Ok... So I know its a little late, but what ever.

This is where I get my stuffs:

T-shirts: Hot Topic, Threadless. Hot Topic has some more interesting, "indie" cloths that arent the norm. I also like Aéropostale although I dont have a store close. It seems that they dont try to make all of their clothes a walking billboard like some of the other stores. Threadless cause its awesome.

Polos: American Eagle, Macy's. My school has a dress code, so all my shirts have to be collared. Almost all of my polos come from American Eagle. I dont have a Hollister or A&F where I live. Macy's has a crap load of brands and such.

Jeans, Pants, Shorts. American Eagle. One reason why I get pants there. Its the only place where I can find size 26 waist.

 

[cleanup]

Judging from the pictures you posted, I think you need to do the following (just opinion!):

You seem to be a pretty average-sized guy, and the good thing is you're longer than you are wide. You do have a bit of fat though, and it looks like you're not a stick, but this isn't a bad thing. The polo you're wearing in the photo would look tons better if the sleeves were more fitted. American Eagle has some decent fitted polos, and they're much much cheaper than the ones sold at Abercrombie/Hollister.

Personally, since you usually shop at Wal-Mart, I don't think you should go for Abercrombie/Hollister. For one thing, it's expensive. For another, everyone wears it. And thirdly, its a stereotyped clothing. Try some other, still popular, though not so ubiquitous stores, like the GAP, Zara, Urban Outfitters, Le Chateau, Mexx. American Eagle & Old Navy are good for cheap clothing, but again, it's pretty generic and everyone wears it. But at least it's cheap!

You look like you have a decent frame, so try to wear things that are a little more fitted, but not extremely so. You might grow out of them and then the clothing will be worthless. Buy clothing that gives you a bit of room to breathe, but still sits on your body as though it's a second skin. And don't just go for your go-to sizes. Zara often has rather small clothing (you might very well be an extra-large) while the GAP tends to have rather large clothing (you might be a medium to a small). Try on everything you see.

And go for the sales! If it's not a good time to buy, then wait. Here in Toronto, everyone was having a pretty big spring to summer season sale, but that may very well be over down in Texas. Clothing is expensive, and there's no reason to spend an exorbitant amount of money on it. Besides that, if you usually shop at Wal-Mart, I doubt your parents are going to let you start shopping at full-price Abercrombie/Hollister.

Let us know how it goes!

 

[MonksMac]

Judging from the pictures you posted, I think you need to do the following (just opinion!):

You seem to be a pretty average-sized guy, and the good thing is you're longer than you are wide. You do have a bit of fat though, and it looks like you're not a stick, but this isn't a bad thing. The polo you're wearing in the photo would look tons better if the sleeves were more fitted. American Eagle has some decent fitted polos, and they're much much cheaper than the ones sold at Abercrombie/Hollister.

Personally, since you usually shop at Wal-Mart, I don't think you should go for Abercrombie/Hollister. For one thing, it's expensive. For another, everyone wears it. And thirdly, its a stereotyped clothing. Try some other, still popular, though not so ubiquitous stores, like the GAP, Zara, Urban Outfitters, Le Chateau, Mexx. American Eagle & Old Navy are good for cheap clothing, but again, it's pretty generic and everyone wears it. But at least it's cheap!

You look like you have a decent frame, so try to wear things that are a little more fitted, but not extremely so. You might grow out of them and then the clothing will be worthless. Buy clothing that gives you a bit of room to breathe, but still sits on your body as though it's a second skin. And don't just go for your go-to sizes. Zara often has rather small clothing (you might very well be an extra-large) while the GAP tends to have rather large clothing (you might be a medium to a small). Try on everything you see.

And go for the sales! If it's not a good time to buy, then wait. Here in Toronto, everyone was having a pretty big spring to summer season sale, but that may very well be over down in Texas. Clothing is expensive, and there's no reason to spend an exorbitant amount of money on it. Besides that, if you usually shop at Wal-Mart, I doubt your parents are going to let you start shopping at full-price Abercrombie/Hollister.

Let us know how it goes!

Man I had a really good post and then MR logged me out and I couldn't post it! What's up with that?
Second time around-
I really want to wait until the Back to school sales start in Mid to late August to do all of my big clothes shopping. During that same time period Texas has one day set aside where stuff like clothes that cost less than $100 individually are tax free instead of 8.0% tax. That will be a huge savings! Most, but not all of my clothes come from WalMart. Some are from Kohl's or Target. They are better quality, but they have a small selection for someone in my age range.
You described my body type almost exactly! I really am working hard to lose more body fat. I am comfortable with my weight, but I still want to lose fat. Most of my clothes were bought about 2-3 years ago when I was heavier and that is why they don't fit properly. Even some of my most recent thing from Christmas,etc. still are too big since my parents apparently haven't noticed I am not as heavy as before. With the economic stimulus money coming soon (still haven't gotten it yet. Grr!) this is a good time to set this right.

 

[c073186]

I prefer Gap and Banana Republic over American Eagle / Abercrombie / Hollister. I think they have nice looking clothes that are not quite as... high school looking. To me they will last longer and look better for a longer period of time.

 

[Melrose]

I prefer Gap and Banana Republic over American Eagle / Abercrombie / Hollister. I think they have nice looking clothes that are not quite as... high school looking. To me they will last longer and look better for a longer period of time.

I agree with you whole-heartedly. I have numerous Gap T-shirts (the nice ones, not the generic jobs) and after wearing and washing them all the time, the two oldest (Like three years old, we're talkin') are just starting to fade! I can't recommend Gap Ts enough.

Abercrombie is okay, I think, but in limited quantities - and stay away from their 'ripped' 'destroyed' styles since they're 90% worn out already. Abercrombie underwear is very comfortable.

 

[GfPQqmcRKUvP]

Abercrombie is okay, I think, but in limited quantities - and stay away from their 'ripped' 'destroyed' styles since they're 90% worn out already. Abercrombie underwear is very comfortable.

I usually stay away from A&F, but you're spot on with their underwear. Their A&F underwear white t shirts are, by far, the most comfortable and whitest white tshirts I have ever found. They fit me perfectly and I buy like 5 per year because they are so great.

 

[ErikCLDR]

Here are some brands. The most important thing though is not the label, but HOW THEY FIT. I prefer a slim fit with shirts. Make sure shirts aren't too baggy in some places and tight in others (like shoulders). Jeans shouldn't be too baggy or too tight in the butt. I always see people with ill fitting jeans.

- Abercrombie- my personal favorite because it fits me best, I think their polos are of very good quality. Their t-shirts aren't as thick but I always wear a Ralph Lauren undershirt beneath them. I too love their underwear and jeans. They are expensive but I've gone in there a few times and there's tons of stuff on sale. One time I spent $150 and came out with a couple polos, a couple t-shirts, 2 long sleeve shirts, a sweater, two pairs of underwear, and 2 sweatshirts. And I wasn't buying ugly stuff either. It was incredible.

- Hollister- Very similar to A&F but the polos are much thinner and quality is not as good. This is visible when you look at a stack of the same color shirts but there are a few that have "off" colors. I also find Hollister annoying because its so dark you can't see anything. Oh yea their jeans suck.

- American Eagle- Their shirts don't fit me. Way to short length wise and in the arms, but the body is too big, but thats just me. It also annoys me how everyone wears AE. They're ok quality and all I own from them right now are a few pairs of pants and shorts.

- Polo/Ralph Lauren- I like their undershirts and underwear. I like their polo shirts but I find some of them to be baggy so you really have to try them on before you buy them. I personally go with the Slim fit polos. I LOVE their jeans. One of my favorite brands

- Lacoste- I own a couple shirts from them. They're ok, really nothing that special except for the label. They're very thin and its annoying because you can't put them in the dryer... otherwise they shrink up... literally up. You will turn your $75 shirt into a belly shirt, not to worry because they do stretch back out.

- J.Crew- I really like J. Crew. The employees are always very helpful and attentive unlike A&F, AE, Hollister. Their shirts are decent, but their pants and shorts are amazing. Their prices aren't bad either.

Find outlet stores and you'll save a lot.

Also, presentation is always a good thing. Clean teeth, ears, etc is always good. Posture is also very important.

Oh yea couple more things:
1) Always wear a shirt under a polo. I really hate when people don't. It also extends the life of the shirt.

2) Don't buy cargo shorts/pants. They're out of style.

 

[themadchemist]

I'm not familiar with your area, but I would try and make a run to the nearest outlet and stock up on some Ralph Lauren polo's. I go there to get all of mine, and you will be able to get each shirt for $35. Seeing as you were wearing a polo in your picture, I assume you like the style. I wear em almost everyday, you can wear em casual or semi-formal or on the golf course. Anything less than a RL polo quality to me is ****, so I would avoid Abercrombie or Hollister or any of those brands for a polo though it might be more popular for your age bracket. Try RL, Lacoste, or Vineyard Vines if you are looking for something that will hold up for a while, but if you are on a budget I would strongly recommend a RL outlet.

I wear polos a lot, but I have never really bothered with the brand name. I just find something that fits right, feels right, and is in a color I like, and go from there. It's never really been an issue and I manage to look good enough...And I usually manage to spend far less than $35/shirt (then again, high fashion is not really a priority for me).

The one thing I'd suggest is not to be afraid of wearing brighter colors. I know a lot of guys prefer to stick to dark colors, but the shirts that I get the most complements on (especially from women) are the brighter ones, even some whose colors seem a little "girly." Remember: It takes a real man to pull of pink, haha.

Oh yea couple more things:
1) Always wear a shirt under a polo. I really hate when people don't. It also extends the life of the shirt.

Oh boy, you'd hate me.

 

[MonksMac]

Here are some brands. The most important thing though is not the label, but HOW THEY FIT. I prefer a slim fit with shirts. Make sure shirts aren't too baggy in some places and tight in others (like shoulders). Jeans shouldn't be too baggy or too tight in the butt. I always see people with ill fitting jeans.

- Abercrombie- my personal favorite because it fits me best, I think their polos are of very good quality. Their t-shirts aren't as thick but I always wear a Ralph Lauren undershirt beneath them. I too love their underwear and jeans. They are expensive but I've gone in there a few times and there's tons of stuff on sale. One time I spent $150 and came out with a couple polos, a couple t-shirts, 2 long sleeve shirts, a sweater, two pairs of underwear, and 2 sweatshirts. And I wasn't buying ugly stuff either. It was incredible.

- Hollister- Very similar to A&F but the polos are much thinner and quality is not as good. This is visible when you look at a stack of the same color shirts but there are a few that have "off" colors. I also find Hollister annoying because its so dark you can't see anything. Oh yea their jeans suck.

- American Eagle- Their shirts don't fit me. Way to short length wise and in the arms, but the body is too big, but thats just me. It also annoys me how everyone wears AE. They're ok quality and all I own from them right now are a few pairs of pants and shorts.

- Polo/Ralph Lauren- I like their undershirts and underwear. I like their polo shirts but I find some of them to be baggy so you really have to try them on before you buy them. I personally go with the Slim fit polos. I LOVE their jeans. One of my favorite brands

- Lacoste- I own a couple shirts from them. They're ok, really nothing that special except for the label. They're very thin and its annoying because you can't put them in the dryer... otherwise they shrink up... literally up. You will turn your $75 shirt into a belly shirt, not to worry because they do stretch back out.

- J.Crew- I really like J. Crew. The employees are always very helpful and attentive unlike A&F, AE, Hollister. Their shirts are decent, but their pants and shorts are amazing. Their prices aren't bad either.

Find outlet stores and you'll save a lot.

Also, presentation is always a good thing. Clean teeth, ears, etc is always good. Posture is also very important.

Oh yea couple more things:
1) Always wear a shirt under a polo. I really hate when people don't. It also extends the life of the shirt.

2) Don't buy cargo shorts/pants. They're out of style.

Those are very good points to take into consideration. Also the summary of all the different types of stores was very well written.
Last thing- If cargo shorts/pants are out of style than what kind of pants are?

 

[Abstract]

- Abercrombie- my personal favorite because it fits me best, I think their polos are of very good quality. Their t-shirts aren't as thick but I always wear a Ralph Lauren undershirt beneath them. I

- Hollister- Very similar to A&F but the polos are much thinner and quality is not as good. This is visible when you look at a stack of the same color shirts but there are a few that have "off" colors. I also find Hollister annoying because its so dark you can't see anything. Oh yea their jeans suck.


- Lacoste- I own a couple shirts from them. They're ok, really nothing that special except for the label. They're very thin and its annoying because you can't put them in the dryer... otherwise they shrink up... literally up. You will turn your $75 shirt into a belly shirt, not to worry because they do stretch back out.

What do "thin" shirts have to do with "low quality"? Why buy thick t-shirts? They're certainly not better for the hot weather, so if you're just going to be wearing them underneath thicker clothing in the winter, you may as well just pick up some thermal underwear. "Thick" t-shirts being equal to "better quality" is just old-fashioned thinking. It also shows how little they understand the concept of hot weather.

If you go to a super-duper cheap store and buy $4 t-shirts, THOSE t-shirts are thick. Same with those "Fruit Of The Loom"-ish t-shirts with a print on the front that you get when you join a club, sports team, summer camp, or participate in an event of some kind. So are souvenir shirts you get from Niagara Falls or wherever. They're rarely thin, and probably very strong, and yet the shirt feels bad to the touch.

Quality is in the material, and therefore, the thread. Forget "thick" clothing. Crap from no-name brands is usually thick, and crap from brand names is can be quite thin. Just avoid both. It's all about the fibres that make up the thread, which are then used to create a shirt. My shirts, hoodies, etc, do not have those little balls that build up in places that rub against things often (eg: when you sit down, rub your sleeve against the table while you're writing, or in the laundry machine). My t-shirts don't look weird and fuzzy, and my longer jumpers don't "pill", and that's because I've kept a mental list of brands that use quality threads. You can't tell just by looking, but you can certainly tell after a few washes.

Oh yea couple more things:
1) Always wear a shirt under a polo. I really hate when people don't. It also extends the life of the shirt.

A t-shirt under a polo doesn't sounds like a great tip for someone in an American teen movie, and even then, it's probably only popular in certain regions of the country. It seems like the equivalent of wearing socks and sandals.

Just don't wear a coloured, logo'ed t-shirt underneath every time you wear a button-down collared shirt, and you won't have committed the ultimate sin.

 

[themadchemist]

Just don't wear a coloured, logo'ed t-shirt underneath every time you wear a button-down collared shirt, and you won't have committed the ultimate sin.

Oh wait, you're not supposed to do that?

Actually, has anyone else pulled the trick, once he's run out of white shirts, to turn a white logo shirt backwards and wear it undernath? Works a charm in a pinch.

 

[Eric Lewis]

Check out Hollister Clearance

I have boughten tshirts for like $9-15 bucks clearance
Shorts for $20
Sweater for $40

Clearance is where the deals are!

 

[Nabooly]

Check out Hollister Clearance

I have boughten tshirts for like $9-15 bucks clearance
Shorts for $20
Sweater for $40

Clearance is where the deals are!

Hollister's non-sale clothing is pretty inexpensive, so a sale on top of that is always great!

 

[hookem12387]

If you're actually going for preppy you'd be hard pressed to go wrong with Ralph Lauren, and if you want something a bit cheaper J crew has some pretty decent stuff (there's even a J Crew Outlet at grapevine mills). And remember, it's ok to pair bold colors together, just make sure 1) it doesn't look totally absurd and 2) you have the confidence to pull it off

 

[hookem12387]

That GQ thing was pretty interesting. Just thought I'd mention, each outfit they put a guy in was over $1k, for reference.

BTW, please don't equate Ralph Lauren and Lacoste (not a fan of Lacoste, but whatever) with A&F and AE. It's just not right.

I'll tell you the key to dressing well (in addition to abstract's good points):

Don't wear cargo.

It's as simple as that. Wear nice khakis that aren't too long, shorts that don't have baggy cargo pockets. It upgrades your look and makes you more sophisticated.

Very true on all accounts here. To quote Superbad "no one's gotten a handjob in cargo shorts since 'nam"

 

[ErikCLDR]

Those are very good points to take into consideration. Also the summary of all the different types of stores was very well written.
Last thing- If cargo shorts/pants are out of style than what kind of pants are?

Pants/Shorts w/o pockets on the legs. Such as these:

See- no side pockets

To respond to Abstract's 3 paragraph rant at me rolleyes:)...
By thinner I mean not as good as quality. I had a $75 Lacoste polo rip on a seem after wearing it 3 times. Is that good quality to you? I also said that addition to the lower quality fabric used at Hollister, their coloring of the clothes is inconsistent, further emphasizing that their quality is not consistent. I also think that many t-shirts are just "fragile" in their construction from some of the brands. I don't expect the shirt to be made out of some miracle cardboard like cotton, but I don't expect it to be weak.

Socks and sandals are a huge no no. I have to laugh because i saw this teenager wearing flip flops and tall socks two days ago. Here are people wearing shirts under their polos...
http://www.ae.com/web/browse/category_shop_by_outfit.jsp?catId=cat10038
I guess it goes without saying that when wearing a polo... never button the top button.

I wouldn't stick to one brand like Polo or J. Crew or whatever. Make sure you have a good mix so it doesn't look like your mom works at the store. I am a bit guilty for owning an excessive amount of A&F shirts, but they fit me well so I buy them. It's actually a bit out of control at the moment.

I was in Hollister today, and I would like to reemphasize that its so dark you can't see anything in there. The problem with Abercrombie is that the music is too loud (go there when they first open their doors, they don't crank up the music until later usually). Both stores are always very poorly organized.

 

[ErikCLDR]

Oh yea I should also add when buying non cargo pants, make sure they're not too formal, like dress pants. Every once and a while you see someone wearing a strange outfit of dress pants and a normal shirt.

Very true on all accounts here. To quote Superbad "no one's gotten a handjob in cargo shorts since 'nam"

Great quote, great movie.

 

[ravenvii]

Ralph Lauren if you have some money to spend. No, it's not cheap, but it's not outrageous depending on what you get. It's hard to go wrong as long as you're reasonably sensible with what looks good on you.

Ralph Lauren/Polo for the win. Don't go to their stores, though.

If you have a Ralph Lauren/Polo outlet near you... Go there, and love it.

If not, go to a Marshalls. They have Polo polo shirts. Be cautious when shopping at Marshalls - make sure you check the shirts, and make sure you try them on. They are basically factory rejects. Some are rejected for reasons you can't see, which makes them a great deal. Some are rejected for obvious reasons, avoid them.

But if you have a outlet, forget Marshalls and go there and love it.

Check out their other stuff, too. Their sports coats/blazers/whatever you call them are nice.

For pants and sports coats/blazers/whatever, also check out the GAP, and particularly for khakis, check out Old Navy. They got some really nice clothes for reasonable prices.

As for jeans... Levi's for the win. Get 'em at Macy's or an outlet.

Abercrombie and Fitch, Hollister and those types of places are full of fail. Unfortunately, you're 15, and girls do go for those kinds of crap when you're in high school. So drink the kool-aid for the time being if you want.

Even if you don't drink the kool-aid (bravo), don't avoid those stores. Go inside occasionally to check things out. You might find a nice shirt or something on sale.

 

[MonksMac]

We just got our notice today... The check from the IRS is in the mail! It should arrive on Friday the 11th. At the end of vacation of course.... I seem to have miscalculated so instead of $600 it will be $300. Still a pretty good amount , but not as much as I was counting on. Better shop the sales then!
Also- I never knew there was a J.Crew outlet at Grapevine Mills. That is not too far away from where I am. At an outlet the prices are probably cheaper too.

 

[ErikCLDR]

We just got our notice today... The check from the IRS is in the mail! It should arrive on Friday the 11th. At the end of vacation of course.... I seem to have miscalculated so instead of $600 it will be $300. Still a pretty good amount , but not as much as I was counting on. Better shop the sales then!
Also- I never knew there was a J.Crew outlet at Grapevine Mills. That is not too far away from where I am. At an outlet the prices are probably cheaper too.

I just got two polos at the J. Crew outlet in Connecticut for $30. Not bad!

 

[Melrose]

What do "thin" shirts have to do with "low quality"?

I once went looking for plain white and black Ts. I tried A&F first since I liked their boxer briefs but the ones they showed me (plain, no-logos) were inCREDibly thin and very cheesy-looking. It looked, no kidding, like a thing shave of some loose sponge that was stitched up into a shirt. I asked the goobery kid who worked their how they held up and he goes "Oh, they last great. I bought one last year and it lasted like six months dude."

No Thank you. If I spend $16 for a T, I want it to last just a wee bit longer than that.

 

[MonksMac]

I can't believe I really did it! I finally completed going through all of my stuff (except the stuff in the laundry) today. It felt really really good to get rid of so much stuff and it feels like I got rid of a huge piece of baggage!
rant begin/When I was done my mother wanted to come and see the progress...
I'm sure you can guess what happened next.
She sees all the stuff and starts saying stuff like, "What's wrong with that?" and, "But, that still looks like it fits you!", or " That's just the style of those pants!", and the worst one of all, "This stuff is too good to give away! Why can't you just keep some of it?" Before she wanted me to clear out my closet and now she wants to keep it all! I just don't get women. /rant over
Anyways- the shopping time comes soon.

 

[Iscariot]

1) Always wear a shirt under a polo. I really hate when people don't. It also extends the life of the shirt.

Always wear a nice shirt under a polo. Something breathable that helps keep you cool.

My word, my wardrobe is so outdated. This thread has me looking forward to my upcoming closet revitalization.

 

[GfPQqmcRKUvP]

Definitely give it to charity (Goodwill or something).

Have fun shopping.